The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-11-02
ASTONISHING MODESTY.
A Dakota Man Who Was Sadly In Need OF
Self Confidence.

says: II have never made the success
in the world that many men have
owing to my want of confidence in my
self and natural reserve.
Mr.. Burgess is right; his diflidence
and shrinking modesty have all along
rather held him down.
When he first began business in
Dakota he set up as a lawyer and loan
agent. His natural reserve caused
him TO charge five per cent. month
interest and foreclosure mortgages be-
fore they were due, and vigllence
committee chased him across the
county line on q run.
Then his want of confidence in HIM
self began to show itself. H. went to
soliciting fire insurancc-his shyness
kept him from every thing elsc-
and he didn't succeed very well even
in this cminenily quiet and retired
pursuit. He got dropped out of several
high buildings, kicked over into the
latter part of several weeks hence. and
never knew when he'd have to jump
n fence and kick out back Mt dog and
scatter blank applications and little
tin housc.signs all over the yard. He
gave up insurance and entered on the
subdued life of lightning-rod agent.
He got along better with this-more
suited to his modest and quiet tastes.
He would drive up to u farmers house
when he was away from home and put
lightning -rods all over the house and
barn, and constable and smoke
house. and hay-barn and chicken-coop,
and well-house. He would put 'em ON
thick, too. When the frightened
farmer drove into the yard he would
think his buildings looked like porcu.
pines.
Bob said he was scientist AID that
he had noticed that the lightning was
different than it used to be, and that
it woull sneak down TO the roof un-
less tho points were mighty thick. He
claimed after he got building prop
crly covered with his rods that a thun-
der cloud would look over the brow of
the hill and then 60 away off around
by way of the creek and the red
school-housc road. II, said that he
hal seen lightning strike at his house
and then howl like pig under the
gate and go off across the pasture end
over end, tearing up the soil like boy
after anSle-worms. He was always
going TO get q balloon some day and
take one of his lightning rods and go
up among the clouds and make tho
electricity beg for mercy.
When the farmer got home and saw
his buildings all bristIed up he would
sometimes begin to swear. But old
Bob nearly always bulldozed him into
paying. If the man wouldn't pay he
would have him arrested for obtaining
advantageous under false prctenscs.
1t didn't do any good to leave dog at
home to protect the house; he would
stab the dog and run rod up over its
dead body. Ono day he heard a man
say he was going TO build house on
some laud he owned, and he went and
stuck up half II dozen rods on it with
the same crooks they would have had
in them if they had been on buildings.
He made the man pay for them, too.
He told him he could put his buildings
up around under the rods.
But he found the business too much
for his natural reserve, and for The
next six months he worked off his diff
dencc and want of confidence in him.
self by going around the same country
and telling people advantageous were
sure death, and buying them back for
about a quarter what they were worth
for old metal.
Then for few months he led q quiet
life running second hand store and
pawnshop, and occasionally going out
on little trips selling pumps and head
stones and soliciting subscription for
II paper; and later on he ran for the
Legislature.
Bat he tired Of Nil this, and again
shrank back from the cold, unfeelins
touch of the world and became Il crab.
apple tree agent. His specially wa:
TO set out a mans farm TO crab-applt
trees while he was away from home,
and then rob the honse of the silver.
ware for his pay. When the man was
ut home he would talk in his bashful,
hcsiiatiug way. and soil him lot of
dead trees with u birds nest in each
one, and grow so eloquent about the
nests that the man would never notice
that half the limb, were glued on the
trees.
He gave up this after q while, and
rs q sort of rest went on the road us
advance agent for q circus which only
had one sick hycna and a spotted
horse. Then he travelled for St.
Louis wholesale house for few weeks
and came back again.
Then he struck out selling sowing.
machines and fanning-mills, but soon
gave them up for maps of Canada and
rubbcr-stamps.
He shrank from this as from conta-
gion aud went TO selling rat traps
jew's-harps. pillow-sham holders, soal
recipes. misiit false teeth and Other
patent rights. Then he went to deal
ing in n salt to prevent lamps from ex-
ploding. which would also burn on,
stovepipcs. furniture polish, paten,
bird seed, spurs for game cocks, non
explosive roof paint, recipe for remov.
ing fly-specks from ceiling. also freck-